Ginny Versteegen & Faye Sullivan at City Gallery in September

Mt. Pleasant artists to present concurrent solo exhibitions of oils and watercolors

Works by Ginny Versteegen and Faye Sullivan will be on exhibit at the North Charleston City Gallery during the month of September.

Ginny Versteegen’s exhibit, Journeys, consists of her latest oil and watercolor paintings which encompass personal journeys, artistic journeys, as well as the artist’s geographical journeys.  Recent trips to Tuscany and Umbria have inspired many of the paintings in the exhibit.   Local excursions throughout the Lowcountry and Upstate also contribute to the theme. Versteegen’s fascination with color and light are both evident in the inspired collection of paintings.  Done “en plein air,” these works reflect the sunlit landscapes and windows of the world.

Versteegen taught art in private and public schools throughout her life.  She received a degree in Art Education through Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and continued her education in fine arts at Winthrop University, Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the University of Oviedo in Spain.  Having resided in Holland, Spain, and Brazil, her work exhibits an international flair. Her paintings have received awards in many shows locally and throughout the United States. She currently co-manages the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery in downtown Charleston, is a contributing member of the I’On Guild, and previously served on the board of the Mount Pleasant Artist Guild.

The oil paintings in Faye Sullivan’s exhibit, Reflections, invite the public to experience the openness and expanse of the Lowcountry through the seascapes and landscapes which surround them.  “Water is the ultimate chameleon,” says the artist.  “It reflects the clouds, time of day, wind, sky, and all of the many things which surround it.  It is this reflective quality which is most helpful when repeating colors to unify the scene.”  Sullivan first worked in pastels because she was drawn to the softness of the medium.  She now paints with that softness using oils, choosing a smooth canvas and applying the paint thinly with soft edges.  These techniques help set a mood of peacefulness and solitude and make her work easily recognizable.

Sullivan is a graduate of East Carolina University with a BFA and MFA in Art.  She taught art for 39 years at the middle and high school level before retiring in the Lowcountry. She has won numerous art awards and her work is displayed in homes and offices throughout the country and abroad.  She currently exhibits at the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery in downtown Charleston and is a member of three local guilds.

Both artists’ work will be on display from September 1 – 30, 2011. The public is invited to attend a free opening reception at the gallery hosted by the artists on Thursday, September 1, from 5pm-7pm.

The North Charleston City Gallery is located in the Charleston Area Convention Center with free parking and admission during regular Convention Center operating hours 9:00am – 5:00pm, daily.  The gallery is staffed on Friday, Saturday, and Monday only.   Inquiries regarding artists or purchase information may be directed to the North Charleston Cultural Arts Department at (843) 740-5854. For information on additional exhibits, programs, and events, visit the Cultural Arts section of the City’s website at www.northcharleston.org.